Switch



March l, 1927. 1,619,148

J. T. MILLER ET AL SWITCH Filed March e, '1926 "und p Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. MILLER AND MICHAEL HANLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

Application led MarchG, 1926. Serial No. 92,754.

y ing application, Serial No. 75,206, filed December 14, 1925.

In practice we have experienced a demand fora simple, but yet eficient and positive acting electrical switch which will function with a minimum of arcing. We have accordingly devised a switch with which we have attained highly desirable results, especially when employed in conjunction with the circuit controllerof our invention.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, there is provided a switch comprising a base, a lever-type switch blade pivotally carried thereby, contacts associated with each end of the blade, and means for rocking the blade about its pivot to break one set of contacts and to engage anf other set of contacts.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear. from' the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, 1n which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of our switch;

Fig. 2 is an end View of the switch illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the switch taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the switch taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking downwardly.

Referring, now to the drawing in detail, in which like reference numerals designate simllar parts throughout the several views, 10 denotes generally a base 'which may be made of any suitable material. We preferably make it of slate or some Aother analo.

gous material'having the requisite insulating qualities. The bottom face of the. base 10 is preferably equipped with a longitudinal groove 11. and a plurality o f apertures 12 adapted to receive the heads of bolts employed in our device.

Mounted upon the central portion of the base 10 is a support or bracket member 13 preferably secured to the base 10 by a pair of bolts 14. This support member 13 comprises al central extension 15 and a pair of substantially flat ianges 16 and 17 throu h which the ends of the bolts 14 extend. T e extension 15 is bifurcated. forming a pair of spaced legs 18. Extending through the space separating the legs 18 of the extension 15 is a lever-like switch blade 20. The

blade 20 is preferably pivotally connected to the extension 15 by means of a pivot bolt 21. extending therethrough and having threaded on its opposite end a nut 22.

Each end of the blade 2O has bolted thereto a cross-piece 23 upon the under side of which are fastened a pair of contacts 24 and 25. with contact 26 secured to thel top of the base 10 by a bolt 27 extending through the base. It should be noted that the heads of the bolts 27 and 14 are'positioned within the apertures 12 in the under side nof the base. Each of the terminals 26 have associated therewith and connected thereto a clip 28 by means of which an end of an electrical conductor may be connected to the corresponding terminal or contact 26.

The switch blade 20 is equipped with a pair of spaced lateral projections 31 and 32 The contacts 24 and 25 are cooperable forming a pocket 33 in the. outer face'of the blade .20. This pocket is located adjacent the pivot of the blade 20 and is adapted to cooperate with the rocking mechanism now to be described. 1

Positioned intermediate the free ends of the legs 18 is an element 34 (Fig. 3) connected to the extension 15 by a pivot bolt 35 secured in place by a nut 3`6 threaded thereon. Extending from the top ofthe element 34 is a studor projection 36 preferably threaded in the said member 34. Positioned diametrically oplposite the stud 36 is a pin 37 secured to-t e element 34. Surrounding this pin 37 is a spring 38, the lower end of which fits in a countersunk bore 39 in a tubular plunger member- 40. The plunger member 40 is positioned in the pocket 33 of the switch blade 20. The end of the plunger 40 adjacent thekbottom of the pocket 33 has secured thereto in any suitable manner, such as by welding, a socket 38for a" ball bearing 40. This construction enables the plunger to be moved over the bottom of the pocket 33 with facility and with a minimum of friction. One end of the spring 38 abuts the element 34 and its other end abuts the plunger 40. Thus the plunger is at all times urged into engagement with the bottom of the pocket 33, or, in other words, the switch blade 20, itself. It will be readily seen from what has gone before, that the switch blade 20 will at all times have a pair of its contacts 24 and 25 in engagement with a pair of the contacts QG on the base 10. When the element 34 is moved angularly about its pivot bolt 35 by the stud 36, the spring 38 will be compressed and the plunger will ride upwardly on the pin 37. This compression of the spring will continue until the plunger Ll0 reaches the center of the switch blade 20, the pocket 33 or a point immediately over the pivot bolt 2l. Immediately upon passing the center of the blade 20 the spring 38 in the plunger 40 will expand, forcing the plunger into engagement with the bottom of the pocket- 33 and causing the end of the blade associated therewith to be moved into cooperation with the corresponding contacts on the base l0. That is `to say, the blade 2O snaps from one position to' another, disengaging one set ot' contacts and engaging another set of contacts.

Obviously, one set of contacts 24 and 25 are connected to the ends of the electrical conductors of one circuit and the other set of contacts are connected to the end of the conductors of another circuit. By rocking the switch blade 20, one of these circuits may be closed and the other opened, depending upon which Way the blade is moved.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the bottom of the pocket 33 is provided with a bump or projection lil over which the anti-rictonal element 40 is adapted to ride. This projection is positioned immediately over the pivot of the lever blade 2O and is adapted to insure that the plunger will be positively snapped to either one side or the other ot the pivot bolt 2l.

The stud or projection 36 may be actuated by .any suitable mechanisimbut we preferably employ the same in conjunction with the lost motion connection associated with the circuit controller of our invention dis closed in the previously mentioned co-pending patent application. When employed in such a capacity, we have found that the blade is quickly and positively snapped from one position to another, breaking one circuit and closing another circuit. Also we have observed that with a construction such as above described, the amount of arcing that takes place is at a minimum.

Although our switch is very efficient in operation and highly practicable, it will also be readily apparent that it is simple in construction and the parts thereof may be reends ot' the switch blade, said blade at all .l

times having one end in engaged position and its other end in a disengaged position with respect to the contact mechanism, a member pivotally connected to the said support, said blade being positioned intermediate the member and the base and having an apertured portion intermediate its ends, a stud connected to the pivoted member, resilient means surrounding the said stud, and a plunger surrounding the said resilient means and extending into the said apertured portion of the blade, said plunger being at all times urged into engagement with the blade by the said resilient means, said pivoted member being adapted to change the point of application of the force of the said plunger with respect to the said blade.

2. In combination in an electrical switch, a base, a switch blade pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the said base, said blade having a cam surface above said pivotal connection, contact mechanism associ ated with each end of the blade, contact mechanism carried by the base and cooperable with the Contact mechanism associated with theblade, said blade being adapted to at all times have one end in engagement with the contact mechanism on the base and its other end disengaged from the contact mechanism on the base, and means for rocking the blade comprising resilient means, a plunger urged into cooperation with the cam surface of the blade by said resilient means, said cam surface having a raised portion directly over said pivot-al connection, and an element pivotally connected to the base for compressing the resilient means associated with the plunger and for moving the plunger over said raised to cause the eiiectlve force of said plunger to be applied to the other side of the blade.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 3rd day of March, 1926.

JOHN T. MILLER. MICHAEL HANLEY.

ortion of the cam surface' 

